Church of Saint-Louis d'Antin

The Church of Saint-Louis d’Antin is one of the most unusual architectural monuments in Paris. Externally modest and even invisible, it has a luxurious gilded interior, striking in its splendor. The area in which the temple is located, in the second half of the XVIII century was actively built up, its population grew, entertainment establishments appeared. In order to maintain a balance between secular and spiritual life, King Louis XVI decided to build a Capuchin monastery in the new district.

Work on the monastery complex was completed by 1782, but the Revolution soon broke out and the monastery was nationalized. In 1795, the former monastery chapel became the parish church of Saint-Louis d’Antin, and the remaining buildings were transferred to the Condorcet Lyceum. It is still located in close proximity to the church and continues its glorious traditions.

Despite its not too impressive size, the church of Saint-Louis d’Antin attracts the attention of many visitors with its interior, in the design of which the influence of ancient Christian churches is felt. The architect who worked on the project deliberately abandoned the fashionable baroque in those years and designed the temple according to ancient architectural canons - strict geometric volumes, columns of the Doric order, bare walls. In the XIX century, the efforts of almost two dozen artists, the temple was covered with paintings with gilding, magnificent frescoes, and the windows were decorated with beautiful stained glass windows.